The Catholic University of America

Apply for Aid

Financial Aid

    

Information about scholarships can be found on the Scholarship Information Page under Types of Aid.

 -OVERVIEW-

The financial aid process at Columbus School of Law begins after admittance to the law school. Your Admissions application information is used to determine your First Year Scholarship eligibility. Scholarship recipients are notified by the Admissions office at the time of their admission.

The following is a step by step overview of how to apply for Federal Student Loans at Columbus School of Law. First year and transfer students should complete all steps.

  1. FAFSA - Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  2. Budget - Determine how much you will need in Federal Student Loans
  3. Financial Aid Package - View/Accept/Decline any financial aid using Cardinal Station
  4. Entrance Counseling - Complete Entrance Counseling for any Federal Student Loans you accepted
  5. Master Promissory Note - Complete an MPN for any Federal Student Loans you accepted
  6. Direct Deposit - Sign up for Direct Deposit to receive your refund for living expenses

 

 

-FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID-

You can begin the application process for Federal Student Loans before you are accepted into the Columbus School of Law. Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can complete a PDF version to snail mail in here.

Important Notes:

  • Use the Columbus School of Law school code of E00131
  • Sign your FAFSA electronically using your PIN. You can request or retrieve your PIN at www.pin.ed.gov.
  • You may be required to verify information entered on the FAFSA. A staff member will contact you by email if you are selected for verification.

 

 

-BUDGETING & COST OF ATTENDANCE-

While waiting for the results from the FAFSA, spend some time budgeting your actual Cost of Attendance at the Columbus School of Law. You will be offered the maximum in Federal Student Loan eligibility from the law school; however, you may not need to borrow the full amount of offered funds. You can find a schedule of Tuition & Fees along with an estimated budget for living expenses on our Cost of Attendance page.

 

-FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE-
 
The Financial Aid Package (sometimes referred to as Financial Aid Award) will be offered via the student services system known as Cardinal Station. The package will include any law school scholarships or grants you may have received, along with the maximum in Federal Student Loans for which you qualify.
 
An email is sent when the package is available to accept online. You can make adjustments to the package based on your financial needs.
 
Detailed instructions on how to login to Cardinal Station and Review/Accept/Decline the Financial Aid Package can be found here.
 
 
 
-ENTRANCE COUNSELING & MASTER PROMISSORY NOTES-
 
If you accept Federal Students Loans (ex. Direct Stafford or Graduate PLUS), you must complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes for each loan program you choose to participate in. These requirements can be completed online. The law school will be notified electronically when you have completed these requirements. It is recommended that you keep copies of your completed counseling session and MPNs.

 

 *You will need your PIN from Step #1 to access these sites*
 

 
-DIRECT DEPOSIT-
 

When the previous steps have been completed and CUA has received confirmation of your Entrance Counseling and MPNs, funds will be disbursed in equal halves to your student account at the beginning of each semester.

The Office of Enrollment Services will then review your account charges (tuition, fees, health insurance, etc.) and financial aid disbursements (loans, scholarships, etc). If the amount of financial aid disbursed exceeds your current charges, you will receive a refund for the remaining amount. This refund is typically what is used for living expenses.

Refunds are issued by Enrollment Serivces and can be Directly Deposited into your bank account, picked up at the Enrollment Services Office, or mailed to you. You can sign up for Direct Deposit using Cardinal Pay.

 
[Back to Top]